Typically, gas turbine engines include a compressor for compressing air, a combustor for mixing the compressed air with fuel and igniting the mixture, and a turbine blade assembly for producing power. Combustors often operate at high temperatures that may exceed 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit. Typical turbine combustor configurations expose turbine vane and blade assemblies to high temperatures. As a result, turbine vanes and blades must be made of materials capable of withstanding such high temperatures, or must include cooling features to enable the component to survive in an environment which exceeds the capability of the material. Turbine engines typically include a plurality of rows of stationary turbine vanes extending radially inward from a shell and include a plurality of rows of rotatable turbine blades attached to a rotor assembly for turning the rotor.
Typically, the turbine vanes are formed from inner and outer endwalls attached to an airfoil extending therebetween. The endwalls are typically attached to an turbine vane carrier via tongue and groove configurations. In particular, channels within the endwalls of the vanes receive protrusions extending from the turbine vane carriers to support the vanes. However, there typically exists looseness between the protrusions and sidewalls of the grooves allowing for the turbine vane to vibrate within the attachment system. Such vibration is damaging and thereby reduces the useful life of the turbine vane. In addition, the loose fit allows the turbine vane to move back and forth, which creates wear as well. Thus, a need exists for a tighter connection between turbine vanes and turbine vane carriers.